Government Fleet, January/February 2018

28 GOVERNMENT FLEET JANUARY FEBRUARY 2018 Keeping Sidewalks Clear and Safe The new Ventrac Sidewalk Snow Vehicle is a skid steer style machine designed specifically for snow and ice removal AS ITS NAME IMPLIES the new Ventrac Sidewalk Snow Vehicle SSV is expressly designed for snow and ice removal on sidewalks With this stand on skid steer style machine municipalities can clear sidewalks more quickly and thoroughly after a snowstorm helping to prevent slip and fall accidents according to Ventrac The machine features four wheel drive and a tight turning radius It measures just 36 inches wide including attachments As a result narrow sidewalks and most park pathways dont pose a problem An 18 hp Kawasaki commercial engine powers the SSV The welded steel frame is designed to endure many years of heavy use the company said MULTIPLE ATTACHMENTS AVAILABLE The SSV can run power attachments and also apply salt based solutions for snow and ice removal Both brine and granular options are available for spreading Attachments available include a 38 inch poly bristle broom a 42 inch snowplow and a 20 gallon brine tank The broom attachment features adjustable speed and reversing capability The snowplow has a hardened steel cutting edge a poly edge is optional A 100 lb stainless steel drop spreader and a 34 inch snow blower will become available soon according to Aaron Graber product development specialist at Ventrac THE UPCOMING DROP SPREADER The forthcoming stainless steel drop spreader is a clone of the unit that Ventrac sells for its full size tractors The drop spreader will feature selectable gate and speed settings Its a patented design that doesnt use a vibrator or agitator like most drop spreaders those tend to get clogged and jammed with really hard material Graber said A lot of times people are running bulk salt through those and they get clogged up in heavy use Instead the Ventrac drop spreader uses an agitation plate that grinds and crushes whats in the hopper to avoid jamming It can crush basically anything that goes through it Graber said Theres almost zero chance for it to bind up and get stuck The drop spreader is attached between the front and rear wheels sliding into the center of the frame It takes up no additional space hanging off the back front or sides of the machine Graber said It keeps everything super compact SKID STEER DESIGN ADVANTAGES The SSVs skid steer style design permits the machine to have four wheel drive a must for extra traction power and the ability to climb curbs at a lower cost But the lack of a traditional operator platform the operator stands instead helps keep the machine compact for tight spaces according to the manufacturer Additionally the straight frame chassis lends itself to easier maintenance With the SSV municipalities can dramatically improve sidewalk snow removal efforts while cutting labor costs at the same time Graber said EQUIPMENT PHOTO COURTESY OF VENTRAC The Ventrac SSV is designed with an arsenal of snow removal attachments and de icing options

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